I’m pretty new in this Local Guides world, since I discovered the program only about two years ago. Before that, it was very hard for me to find good restaurants, or other services like pharmacies, notaries or markets, because in my city of Lima, only big companies get registered and many wonderful small businesses remain unseen.
In a short time, I feel that Local Guides and Google Maps have deeply impacted my life because it has let me discover a lot of information with really easy access, and it has empowered me to feel like I can contribute to people in my community with useful information. And not only from places in Lima, but of any part of the world I had the blessing of visiting. It’s so amazing how much you can learn from someone from a totally different culture, their way to see and appreciate things, their hobbies and beliefs when you read what they write on Google Maps. This program gives us the chance to get closer to the beautiful unknown!
I think that a contribution that really exemplifies what Local Guides means to me has been my review of Punta Luna Ecolodge, located outside a small city in the north of Peru, called Piura. This incredible place is actually in my home state, and it is so remote that hardly anyone, even the people from Piura, know about it. The most beautiful thing here is that it is untouched nature and there are many free animals all around you. Soon it’s going to be considered the newest National Reserve of Peru!
My husband and I heard a lot about this special place, almost like it was a legend or myth, and we chose it to be our honeymoon destination for our final year in Peru. Despite its’ natural wonders, there is hardly any reviews on Google Maps or anywhere else for that matter. It’s a spot known by some adventurous surfers, but if you are looking for a private and relaxing vacations far away from the city madness in the embrace of “Pachamama” (mother earth), this place can fit perfectly. The local people who run this business really care about the perseverance and care of Punta Luna and want to keep it as a place where people can appreciate nature in its purest form. And so I am happy to share my review on Maps with everyone who asks where is my favourite spot in Peru!
This made me think about how many more small businesses are out there, how many more special spots in the middle of nature, just waiting to be discovered. Since joining Local Guides, me and my now husband @user_not_found .plotzki have been contributing to this wonderful community together. We like to compete when we visit a new place, to see who gets the most points, the most likes and most importantly, the top photo at each new spot we go to. Let’s say sometimes he wins and sometimes I win!